Movie Date
by TotalCSIfan
Summary: Nick realizes he is no where near finished dealing with the effects of being kidnapped and buried alive. I would love it if you would review! I hope you enjoy the story.


**Movie Date**

Nick and Jackie got in line at the concession stand at the movie theater. After Nick had bought both he and Jackie a small soda and a medium popcorn for them to share they went and found a seat in the surprisingly almost empty theater. Just five minutes into the movie the main character was kidnapped, and much to Nick's horror he was buried alive! Nick felt chills run down his spine and he couldn't take it, he got up and walked out. After she gathered up her purse Jackie followed Nick. Once she was out in the lobby she tried to adjust her eyes to the light which was difficult after being in the dark theater. She looked around for Nick but she couldn't find him. She finally spotted him heading towards the door.

She chased after him.

"Nicky wait." She said but he continued to walk.

She finally caught up to him after he had reached his truck. He climbed in so she did too.

"Nicky I'm so sorry, I didn't read what the movie was about, I just saw a preview for it and thought it looked good. I swear I had no idea that was going to happen."

"It's not your fault." He said quietly and then he turned his head and stared blankly out the window.

"I miss Warrick, I wish he was here so I could talk to him, best friends are always good at talking to you about your problems." He said as he continued to stare out the window.

"You can always talk to me. I'm a teacher, and a mom, so I have experience in talking to people about their problems." She said with a slight smile.

"Thanks hun, but I don't want to talk about this with you." He said.

"Why do you feel like you could talk to Warrick about this but you can't talk to me?" Jackie asked quietly, she knew she shouldn't feel bad but she couldn't help but feel a little hurt that her own husband wouldn't open up to her about a very serious issue in his life.

"Look I said I don't want to discuss it with you." Nick snapped.

"Ok." Jackie said calmly.

Nick sighed, he turned to face her and said "Listen Jackie I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just that I don't want to talk about this with you because…." His voice trailed off.

Jackie grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Because why?" she asked gently.

"Because I know that as hard as my kidnapping was on me, it was even harder on you." He said.

Jackie gave him a sweet smile.

"Obviously your kidnapping was extremely hard on me but I highly doubt it was harder on me than it was on you, and Nicky, you should always feel like you can talk to me, about anything, no matter how hard it might be on me. In a marriage you should always be able to lean on your spouse for support, that's what marriage is. I want to help you through this honey, but I can't do that if you won't discuss it with me."

"Thank you, and you're right, I realize that but in all honesty, it's embarrassing."

"Why on earth would you be embarrassed, you did absolutely nothing wrong, NOTHING about your kidnapping was your fault." She said in a serious tone.

"I don't mean the actual kidnapping is embarrassing, I mean how I am dealing with it is embarrassing. It's been six and a half years, I should be over it by now. I shouldn't still have trouble catching my breath when I am in small spaces. I shouldn't still remember the pain of the ant bites. I shouldn't shutter every time I hear the word _perfect_. I shouldn't have to walk out of a movie because it involves a kidnapping. I shouldn't still have horrible nightmares that wake me out of a deep sleep. I shouldn't still remember the cold of the metal of my gun against my skin as I contemplated pulling the trigger and ending it all. None of those things should bother me anymore but they _do_,and why? I have a life most people could only dream about: A great job and I work with great friends, a wife that loved and supported me through all of this mess, and still does. A wife I love to the core of my sole, and lastly but most important I have two beautiful children that I love beyond words. Children that I would die for without a second's hesitation. So why do I let that one incident bother me so bad? Grissom said it was over, and I agreed but that wasn't the truth, it's not over for me, not even close."

"Honey, you act like this one incident was a paper cut or something, what you went through was incomprehensible, and there is no time table for when people get over trauma, especially one like you went through. You should be incredibly proud of the way you've handled everything, I promise you that I'm extremely proud of you."

He smiled at her "Thank you."

"I'm serious Nick. Most people would have let it ruin their spirit, their drive to live, but not you. You have the most positive outlook on life of anyone that I have ever known. I don't know how you manage to wake up with a smile on your face every day but you do. You are great at your job, you are even a better CSI now then you were before the kidnapping because you now not only have sympathy for the victims and their families but empathy as well because you've been in their shoes. You are a loyal friend, a loving and terrific husband, and the most incredible father I have ever seen. You amaze me, you truly do. I fall in love with you more everyday."

"Thank you Jackie, I love you too." He said as he tried to hold back tears.

Jackie smiled at him. Nobody said anything for a minute but then Jackie broke the silence.

"You are also a huge pain in my neck at times." She said with a sly grin as she playfully punched his arm.

Nick laughed.

His face then turned serious again as he said "Honestly though, thank you for everything, I couldn't have gotten this far without you. I don't know what I did to deserve you but I must have done something really good."

"I know, I'm quite a catch." She said with a grin.

Nick chuckled.

Jackie again reached over and grabbed his hand.

"You ok?" she asked in a serious voice.

"Yeah. What do you say we go pick up the kiddos and go home?" He asked.

"Sounds good to me." She said.

"Ok." he said with a smile as he started the truck.

Jackie smiled and then reached over and turned on the radio. As Nick drove home he looked over at his wife who was quietly singing the words to the song that was playing, she seemed oblivious to the fact that he was looking at her. She and his children were really his everything and he felt so blessed to have them in his life.


End file.
